


Forgiven

by iamfitzwilliamdarcy



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-08-10
Updated: 2014-08-10
Packaged: 2018-02-12 15:06:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,521
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2114463
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/iamfitzwilliamdarcy/pseuds/iamfitzwilliamdarcy
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Percy's not the only one who needs to be forgiven.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Forgiven

“Hey, Dad?” Arthur has just returned from work, but Bill’s voice reaches him before he could turn the knob of the front door to enter the house. He turns and faces his two oldest sons. Bill and Charlie would be leaving soon, he know. Bill was anxious to get back to Shell Cottage with Fleur and Charlie was restless for his dragons.

“Yes?” he says, figuring they wanted to talk about when they’d be leaving.

“We’ve been talking,” Bill starts, “and we think—,”

“Dad, it’s Percy,” Charlie butts in.

“Is something wrong? Did something happen? Is he alright?” Arthur was closing the distance between him and his sons before he realizes he’s even moved, head swiveling as his eyes frantically seek his third-born.

“Dad, calm down,” Bill says, looking slightly alarmed. “He’s fine. We just think you need to talk to him.”

Arthur lets the words calm him down, though he’s still on guard. It’s too deeply ingrained in him not to worry about his children, especially after the war. “About what? He doesn’t think I haven’t forgiven him does he?”

Bill and Charlie exchange a look before the elder says, “I think it’s maybe more he hasn’t forgiven you yet. He hasn’t gotten a chance to resolve everything that’s happened since he’s been gone especially after, well, Fred.”

Arthur bristles, but before he could say anything, Bill continues, “Dad, really. We’re worried. He’s…I don’t know, trying too hard to make things better, but you can tell he’s angry and upset, and I don’t know how much of that has to do with…well, you know, with Fred, but…he needs you. More than he needs either of us,” Bill adds, gesturing to Charlie.

Arthur deflates, and his decision is confirmed when Charlie adds, “I share a room with him, Dad. Regardless of whether he needs to forgive you, doesn’t know if he’s forgiven by you, or what, he’s not in a good state and he just needs you right now. You know we wouldn’t come to you if it wasn’t important.”

Arthur nods. Of course Percy needs him. He’s his father. “I’ll go talk with him right now. Thank you for telling me, boys.”

Bill smiles at him. “I think he went down to the cornfield not too long ago, if you want to check there?”

Arthur gives him another nod and sets off. He finds Percy easily enough. He’s on his own, sitting on the banks of a pond and staring off into the distance. Arthur thinks he looks very small and very alone. He’d always been an independent boy who kept to himself, shut away in his room. Arthur had personally thought Percy needed more sun, but as long as he was happy and not causing trouble, he’d never made a big deal about it.

Percy glances up at him as he approaches, then returns his gaze to the horizon.

“Hey Perce,” Arthur greets, voice soft. “Mind if I join you?”

Percy shrugs, so Arthur sits down next to him. He’s silent for several minutes, trying to figure out what it is he needs to say to Percy. It’s Percy who speaks first though. “Did Charlie send you after me?”

“He’s worried,” Arthur says.

“I’m fine,” Percy replies, staring straight ahead.

“Are you?” Arthur asked, raising an eyebrow.

Percy bites his lip, but doesn’t answer, so Arthur urges him. “It’s okay, Percy. You can talk to me, you know. I’m your dad.”

“You haven’t been my dad,” Percy bites out, and Arthur flinches away from the bitterness in his voice. “Not really. Not in years.”

“That’s not fair,” Arthur says quietly. “I tried my best.”

“So did I. And it was never good enough. Never. You didn’t care because I wasn’t funny like Fred and George or adventurous like Charlie or—,”

“That’s not true,” Arthur interrupts, turning to look at him. “Percy, I promise you, that’s not true, and I’m sorry, I am so sorry, I ever made you feel that way.”

Percy swallows, then says, voice almost a whisper, “I thought you’d be proud. Of my promotion. I thought you’d be proud.”

Arthur can’t think of the last time he’s seen Percy this open and vulnerable. He looks very young, and Arthur feels very old.

“I know,” he says softly.

“You were right, in the end, of course,” Percy says, and laughs a self-depreciating laugh. “I was too stupid to see it because they thought I was good enough and rules had never let me down before, and I’m sorry, I’m really, really sorry I left but..” he trails off, face scrunched in thought.

“You’re angry too?” Arthur asks after it becomes clear Percy isn’t going to continue on his own.

Percy nods. “Yes. Yes, I’m angry.”

“At me?”

Percy nods again.

“Why?”

Percy remains silent for so long that Arthur thinks he isn’t actually going to get an answer out of him. Just as he’s about to give up and maybe head back to the Burrow, Percy whispers, “You didn’t come after me.”

The answer takes Arthur off guard. “What?” he asks, and Percy raises his head to glare at him through glasses growing foggy with tears.

“You didn’t come after me. Mum did, but of course she would. She’s the only one who ever actually liked me. But you’re my father you’re supposed to…to—,” he waves his hand looking for the right word. “You’re supposed to fight for me. You would have gone after any of the others. You did when Charlie ran away that one time when he was fifteen and when you and Fred got into that fight once, and I know that wasn’t as bad and he didn’t say the things I said but I was gone and it didn’t even matter. You didn’t even try.”

“Oh Percy,” Arthur breathes, and wraps his arms around his son. Percy’s right of course. “I’m sorry. I was angry and couldn’t get over that. But you always mattered; it was different, without you around. We missed you.”

“You didn’t even try later, after the Ministry thing.” Percy’s tone is accusatory as he struggles not to cry, but he doesn’t fight Arthur’s hold on him. “You just expected me to come groveling back and then I had to and you didn’t try then either, you didn’t even try to stop them.”

Arthur remembers the Christmas of Scrimgeour and flying parsnip. He’d been wary when his son had come home, had been sure it wasn’t to apologize. He didn’t think until now that perhaps Percy had never felt like he was wanted back. He hadn’t ever considered that reaching out first, extending an olive branch would have ended the whole debacle a year earlier.

There’s not much else he can say but repeat his apology. “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry, Percy. I spent the whole time thinking you were being pigheaded and stubborn when I was doing the exact same thing.”

Arthur feels more than hears Percy’s muffled laugh against his chest. “I was being stubborn. And arrogant. I wasn’t about to come sniveling back to you. Not after what I said. I was awful, even before that. No one wanted me but Mum anyway, so what was the point?”

“That’s not true.” How had it happened that Percy had been allowed to feel so unwanted? How had he and Molly managed to miss something this big? “Your brothers and Ginny missed you terribly. They were angry because they were hurt.”

Percy snorts. “They sure didn’t mind when it was me they hurt.”

“I don’t think they really realized,” Arthur says. “You know how the twins are. Were,” he corrects. “They probably saw picking on you as a sign of affection. But you’re right. There were times I should have stepped in and didn’t. You just sort of slipped through the cracks, I guess. We thought you were happy. I’m sorry.”

“You’re apologizing a lot,” Percy comments.

“There’s a lot I need to apologize for.”

“It’s okay,” Percy says, and he sounds tired, but there’s not trace of the tears or bitterness, and Arthur thinks that’s a step.

They’re silent again. Arthur takes comfort in having his son in his arms. The last time he’d hugged Percy had been at the Battle of Hogwarts, but he can’t remember a time before that. After a while, Percy ventures, almost tentatively, “Did you miss me?”

Arthur nods, arms tightening around his son. “Yes,” he says, and he’s suddenly blinking back tears. “Yes, I missed you. I missed you every day, even those days I was too angry to realize it.”

“I missed you too,” Percy whispers. Arthur knows he isn’t just talking about those years after the fight, either.

“C’mon,” he says, letting Percy go and standing. “Let’s get you home. Mum will have dinner ready soon.” He offers Percy a hand, which he accepts, and pulls him to his feet.

He wraps an arm around his son’s shoulder as they set off for the Burrow. They have a long way to go to rebuild their relationship, but Arthur is sure they’re going to be just fine.


End file.
